The First Nations’ Futures Programme was a great experience where we got to spend two weeks at Stanford University learning about indigenous economies, the environment, and indigenous development. It was a unique opportunity to learn about other cultures, while sharing our own, at one of the most renowned university’s in the world.

From the time we arrived we were surrounded by inspiring leaders who shared their knowledge and experience with us. The other fellows were so supportive and we learned a lot from one another throughout the programme.

The programme provided me with the opportunity to develop my ideas and reflect on how my work can benefit my people. It was a challenging and rewarding experience, which encouraged personal growth. It was a great privilege to participate and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The First Nations’ Futures Programme provides an unrivalled opportunity for aspiring Ngāi Tahu leaders and other Māori postgraduate students to gain access to leading international research and thinking within a uniquely indigenous context. Applications are also invited from Ngāi Tahu and other Māori undergraduate students who are close to completion of their degree and who intend to apply for postgraduate study in 2018-2019. The First Nations’ Futures Programme is held at Stanford University for two weeks in October/November every year.

The Rhodes Scholarship Information Evening is for UC and Lincoln University students intending to pursue postgraduate studies at Oxford University, who are interested in finding out more about the Rhodes Scholarship and the application process.

This is an opportunity for prospective applicants to access information, ask questions and gain some first-hand knowledge from current Rhodes Scholars.

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The fifth seminar in the Pacific Post Graduate Talanoa 2018 series takes place on Monday 21 May, 3-5pm (NZST) via video conferencing venues available at participating Universities, including UC.

Please remember to register as soon as possible, stating which venue you would like to attend at, to ensure it is opened for you on the day. To register and for further information, email Edmond Fehoko and Melanie Milicich .

There are three exciting presentations – read details and information about video venues below.

Ø International Law in the South Pacific by Suliana Mone, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Law, University of Waikato

In this presentation, I will discuss some reflections on my PhD, which looks at the influence of international law in Tonga with specific emphasise on the non-ratification of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). This case study highlights issues of women’s rights and the justifications for discrimination against women in law.

The Fiji Museum is the protector and preserver of Fiji’s cultural heritage. It houses an invaluable collection of Fiji’s rich history, dating back to more than 3000 years including artefacts linked to ancient inter-island trade which thrived in the Pacific, particularly within the Fiji – Tonga – Samoa triangle. This presentation explains the work of the Fijian Archaeology Department and its preservation of pre-historic and historical settlements in Fiji, which includes Lapita heritage sites that continue to connect and integrate shared Lapita origins.

Tonga and its island groups are extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and these impacts affect the environment, the people and their livelihoods. Children are among the most vulnerable groups to the adverse impacts of climate change for they can be psychologically disturbed and rendered powerless by the magnitude of the impacts of climate change. This presentation will report on a study that examined ways that could help students in Tonga to learn to adapt to climate change impacts. Talanoa were used to explore secondary school teachers’ and students’ perceptions of climate change issues. Findings revealed that students and teachers are aware of and worried about climate change, but they lacked a rich conceptualisation of these issues and held some misconceptions.

A climate change educational intervention was designed based on theoretical principles of climate change education and these findings. This was trialled at a secondary school in Tonga. Talanoa was employed as a teaching and learning pedagogy which sought to build relationships within the classroom, recognise students’ experiences and understandings and give voice to their concerns. The outcomes of the intervention indicated high student engagement, successful learning and a motivation to play a part in their own futures.

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Roimata is the name given to a sculpture designed by Māori artist Riki Manuel (Ngāti Porou) to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Canterbury earthquake on 22 February 2011. It was unveiled at a special ceremony on that date in 2018, and tells a story of remembrance.

To Māori, the upside down koru represents death, in keeping with a memorial to those who lost their lives in the February earthquake of 2011.

The surface is undulated to represent Ōtakaro the river Avon, onto which the people of Ōtautahi Christchurch, throw flowers each year in memory of that fateful day. The bronze flowers on the surface depict this ritual.

The sculpture sits at the Clyde Road end of University Drive, a short distance from the Recreation Centre bridge over Ōtakaro where those who attended the unveiling carried out this ritual by throwing fresh flowers onto the river to created a spiritual link with the commemorative service being held later that day in the city.

Roimata, will remain on our campus as a permanent reminder of the earthquakes, and as a focus each year for our remembrance, the loss and suffering of our University community, the contribution they made afterwards, and what the University has become since.